1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of automated solid pharmaceutical product packaging devices. More specifically, the present invention is directed to automated solid pharmaceutical product packaging devices for filling blister packages which are capable of handling a larger variety of pharmaceutical products in a compact structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solid pharmaceutical product packaging devices are well-known and exist in a variety of different formats. One well-known variety of these machines is suitable for filling blister package products. In this previous approach, a plurality of automatic dispensing canisters are secured in a common cabinet and these dispensing canisters are connected via a computer which controls the selective dispensation of the solid pharmaceutical members contained within the canisters. Once the solid pharmaceuticals have been ejected from a given canister, the solid pharmaceutical products fall away from the canisters and are directed into a funnel member that specifically locates the selectively dispensed product or products into a cavity which may be subsequently aligned with corresponding cavities in blister packages.
One shortcoming of these known devices is that users typically require that the machine fits into a room with standard ceilings that may only by eight feet high. In order to accommodate a wide variety of pharmaceuticals for automatically filling solid pharmaceutical packages, however, it is necessary that the cabinet within which the automated dispensation canisters are located have a significant height. This is at least in part due to the fact that gravity is used to move the solid pharmaceutical products after they have been ejected from the canisters. Consequently it is more difficult to achieve horizontal displacement of the products into a desired location. As a result, the machines for dispensing the products and filling the blister packages may be placed at a level that is undesirable because it is preferable to have the canisters physically located above the location into which the solid pharmaceutical products are dropped.
Another design constraint is the fact that it is preferable to minimize the overall footprint of the packaging machinery. Hospitals and/or other managed care facilities that typically utilize these devices do not usually have a substantial amount of additional space available for the machinery. Consequently, in light of these concerns and requirements, the existing machinery has been unsatisfactory. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for improved solid pharmaceutical packaging devices that are capable of automatically filling solid pharmaceutical product packages and which may also accommodate a large library of different products while also minimizing the space within which the device is located.
One object and advantage of the present invention is to provide a solid pharmaceutical product packaging machine that is capable of providing a wide variety of solid pharmaceutical sources. Another object and advantage of the present invention is to provide a solid pharmaceutical product packaging machine that is more efficient in terms of its physical size than devices of the prior art. Other objects and advantages will be apparent in light of the following Summary and detailed Description of the Presently Preferred Embodiments.